Broken Shelves and Broken Spirits Can Be Repaired!

On a recent laundry day, I was placing clean rags on a wire shelf, in the laundry room. Suddenly, I heard the sound of ripping dry wall. Oh yes. The entire seven foot shelf, and its contents, suddenly landed on the floor! The room was littered with muddy shoes, cleaning supplies, a dirty rag basket, and a clean rag bin. As the dust literally settled, I realized that the shelf itself hadn’t broken. The supports had simply ripped out of the wall. I shouldn’t have been surprised…this shelf had required several small repairs in the past. However, the shelf had never actually crash landed, until this very busy day! Phil decided to step it up a notch with this repair, attaching the supports directly to wooden studs in the wall. The original intent for use of the shelf, had been for it to hold a few dirty shoes as we came into the house. As time went by, and we found more uses, we had not strengthened the supports as weight was added. That mistake took its toll! After Phil did a stellar repair, my job was to fill in the old holes, and clean up the debris.

As I was on the floor, looking at the mess, I started laughing out loud, and found that I was actually pleased that the shelf had come down! I had a chance to see behind all the junk we stored there, and realized there were several repairs needed, that had been neglected through the years. I found unfilled holes, a crack in the baseboard, dust on the shelf, dirt on the wall, and a great need for paint, due to scuff marks from the shoes. There were old dry wall anchors that needed to be removed as well. Since we had recently discussed, in class at church, how our faith holds up to stress and trauma in our lives, I couldn't help but smile at the correlation I was seeing.

When crisis comes our way, it can give us an opportunity to see things from a different point of view. When we're down on the floor, at the lowest points in our lives, we can look up, and see from a different vantage point! Sometimes, our own lack of preparation, or lack of attention to problems along the way, can cause a crisis. Other times, things just happen, beyond our control. Sometimes, we patch over things, as we had done for years, rather than actually fixing them. Have you ever done this with problems?
Just ignoring them, hoping they'll go away? There can be a temporary “happiness” when we shove problems aside, without facing them. But, there’s no comparison to the outcome, of finally meeting the problem head on, and finding the best way to handle the situation. As Christians, we can strengthen our lives with very strong supports, such as study and incorporation of the Word in our lives, growing in our prayer lives, developing strong bonds with other Christians, and reaching out to others. We prepare for whatever is thrown onto us. Even if we break, we can be repaired, and lifted back up by our support system! And, while down on the floor, we might see the good that can come from the bad. Romans 8:18, and Romans 8:28, tell us that our present sufferings in no way compare with the glory that will be revealed to us, and that all things work together for good, to those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Some of that good may never be seen by us, but because our Lord is almighty and faithful, we believe what he has told us, and we can find peace, by leaving it up to him.


- by Becky
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Yeast, Salt and Paint Drops

When Erica asked me to write for this blog, I was surprised, honored, and excited! I greatly enjoy engaging in spiritual conversation, and this is certainly a unique opportunity. But, it's a little hard for me to stick with one idea, and to hold back from discussing every thought I have about that idea. I'm technologically challenged, having started 3 other postings, but messing them up with my word processor and email! After prayer and contemplation, I decided to write what's in my heart and mind at the moment, and hope that at least one good idea might come from each attempt. So, here goes!

We recently took on a major painting project in our den, repainting fake wood paneling. (After much discussion through the years, we're filling in the grooves in the paneling...that's what makes it a major job!) I'm easily entertained, so I get a kick out of going to the paint store. Who doesn't enjoy watching paint mixers at work?! It's almost magical to see a gallon of pure white paint, turned into “Sandstone” or “Orange Confection,” “Butternut” or “Library Red” with just a few tiny drops of colored tint. After watching this process last week with Phil, he said what I was thinking: “It's almost like a perfect illustration of the verse about a little leaven.”

In Galations 5:9, Paul says that “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough”, and again in I Cor. 5:6, a similar statement is made. (Any of us who have made bread, have surely been fascinated as we watched our little ball of dough, double in size.) In both verses, Paul illustrates how quickly a bad influence can take over, and change the original ingredients, if we allow ourselves to be mixed in with that yeast. The yeast, and salt described elsewhere in the New Testament, illustrate the very, very small amount of influence needed to change a group of people, or to greatly change our individual lives.

Although the yeast illustration describes a bad influence, the salt illustration by Jesus in Matthew 5:13, is describing a small amount of something, having a huge influence for good. We can be that yeast, or salt, (or paint tint drops) and become the influencing factor. Often, when participating in a small act of kindness, or good work, I question if there's any lasting good that will come from what I'm doing. I truly believe that as we are described as the “salt of the world” we can have a great impact on others, even with our seemingly small influence.

And so, my experiences with paint mixing over the last few weeks, helped to renew thoughts about being alert, for even the smallest amount of evil influencing my life. What do I do with choices in friendships, associates, and entertainment, especially? What do I read, listen to, and watch?

On the other hand, how wonderful to realize that as small influences can work for evil, they can also work for large amounts of good! I don't want to be the color to change someone else's life in a bad way, but want to use that small bit of influence I might have, to color their world with a reflection of Christ. That child we talk to and teach, the person we speak to with a smile, will see Christ in us. May we all beware of “tiny” bad influences, and strive to be good salt, leaven, and yes, even paint drops, for others! May we realize how big of an effect our influence can have, and pray for God to help us use it to his glory.